Ribbon mechanism for type-writing machines.



0. G. KAVLE.

RIBBON MEGHANISM POR TYPE WMTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 29, 1908.

991, 154 Patented May 2, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEBT 1;

Y 0.0.KAVLE- y RIBBON MECHANISMFOR TYPE WRITING MACHINES.

- APPLIUATION FILED JULY 29, 1908. 991,154 Patented May 2,1911.y

s SHEETS-SHEET 2.

y o. o. KAVLE.

RIBBON MBGHANISM FOR TYPB WRITING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 29, 1908. 991, 1 54. Patented May 2, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3 m www@ OSCAR C. KAVLE, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 HARVEY A. NOYER, OF

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

RIBBON MECHANISM EGB, TYPE-WRITING MACHINES.

QQLLEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May' 2, i911.

Application filed July 29, 1908. Serial No. 445,983.

and useful Improvement in Ribbon Mecha Y nisms for TypeNVriting Machines, of which the following is a specifica-tion.

This invention relates more particularly to improvements in ribbon driving mechanisms for typewriting machines.

One object of the invention is to produce an efficient mechanism of simple., light and comparatively cheap construction and which requires but little power to operate it for feeding the ribbon lengthwise.

Other objects of the invention are to so construct a ribbon feeding mechanism driven bythe carriage-driving spring drum, that the same mechanism will produce the same -.rate of travel of the ribbon when used with carriages of different. lengths; also to adapt the driving mechanism for use with the feed-reversing means disclosed in my prior application for patent, Serial No. 381,762, filed July l, 1907; and also to provide means for preventing excessive lengthwise movement of the ribbon when tabulating.

In the accompanying drawings, consisting of three sheets: Figure l is a framental-5T longitudinal sectional elevation of a typewrit ing machine provided with ribbon mechanism embodying. the invention, in line 1 1, Fig.

2. Fi 2 is a vwlan view arti in section lof the ribbon mechanism, some ofthe upper parts of the machine being indica-ted by brokenlines. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary transverse sectional elevation of the machine in line 3 3, Fig. 2. Fig. il is a fragmentary transverse sectional elevation of the machine in line 4 4, Fig. 2.

Like letters of reference refer to 'like A represents a portion of the main frame of a front-strike typewritingmachine, @the top plate thereof, B, the platen carriage, 'and C the spring or power-'driven drum which is connected to the carriage .by means t not shown) for moving it from rightto left in the. usual manner. Thesep parts may bey of kany usual or suitable construction.

i) represents the ink ribbon which passes through a suitable vibrating guide Z adjacent to the printing point of the platen and --the ribbon to unwind therefrom.

is attached at, its ends to spools E Ef of any vsuitable construction which are preferably located, as usual, at the opposite sides of the front portion of the machine. The spools are connected to the upper ends of upright spool shafts c fe which are journaled in bearings on the top plate a of the machine.

The mechanism for driving the spools to feed the ribbon lengthwise is preferably constructed as follows: F represents a. feed lever arranged beneath the rear portion of the top plate a and pivoted centrally thereto at 7 to swing horizontally. The opposite ends of the feed lever are connected by links g to pawl leversy G G loosely journaled on the lower ends of the spool shafts e e and carrying feed pawls g2 which are pressed by hidden springs into engagement with ratchet wheels .g3 fixed to the spool shafts. g4 represents dogs pivoted to posts depending from the top plate a and pressed toward the ratchet wheels by'hidden springs for holding the-y ratchet wheels from backward movement. The'teeth of the two ratchet wheels g3 are pitched in opposite directions and one of the I pawl leversA- for instance G, is fulcrumed between its ends and has its pawl andoperating link g connected thereto at opposite' sides of its fulcrum. while the other pawl lever, G', has its pawl and operating link g" connected thereto at the same sidel of its fulcrum so .that the spool E will be turned in an opposite direction from that in which the other spool E will be turned, by the oscillation of the feed lever F. Both pawl levers are oscillated by the movements of the feed lever F, but one of the feed pawls and the companion holding dog g4 are held out of action when the other feed pawl is in action by reversing mechanism hereinafter described, so that when the ribbon is-being wound on one spool the other isleft free `for The feed lever F nhas a pin and slot connection g5 with each of the links (1 g and is connected to each link by' a spring'g, see Fig. 2, whereby the movementI of each link in the direction to turn the spool to which it is connected is effected through thc spring gs. These springs g6 yield and allow the feed lever F to oscillate without producing a feeding 105 such, for instance, as the failure to reverse the feed when the ribbonV reaches the end of its runf This construction is desirable for use in connection with an automatic v'ribbonreversing mechanism in case the same should not actp-ropcrly. H represents a cam driven by the carriage-driving spring drum C foroperating the feed lever F. The cam'is preferably secured lto or formed with a ratchet wheel 71 which is loose on the drum shaft; A pawl '/i. pivoted to the drum and engaging the ratchet wheel causes the ratchet wheel and cam to turn with the drum in on direction, but permits the drum to rotate in the opposite direction independently of the 'ratchet wheel and cam. The cam shown has an annular series of four projections, each' having an linclined or cam face and an abrupt face. lever is held yieldlngly against -the face of the cam H 'below its` center, as shown in Fig.

` rides up on one inclined face of 3, by a spring I, Fig. Q, connected to the Vlever and to a pin or part i depending from the top plate a.. In action, the pqrojection i space movement of the carriage is obtained.

The cam 'H can be made with any desired number, one or more, ofthe inclined faces v orsections, but ifl only one face extending completely around the cam were used, they return .movement of the lever would be so long that the lever would make an objectionable' noise. in snapping from the peak of the incline onto the foot thereof. The cam is therefore preferably madewith a plurality lof short. inclined or cam faces, as described, which makes the movements of the l ,feed lever so short that the noise is not noticed. The salient feature of the cani vis 'to make it so that the feed lever can move back togive the pawl a new hold when the spring drum has made one revolution, and this insures the same relative feed of the ribbon regardless of whether the drum makes one or more than one revolution, and peru mits the use of an extra long carriage necessitating more than one revolution of the drum to complete its travel, without requiring the parts of the ribbon feedmechanism to be made different from those used with a carriage of the ordinary length. Then the carriage is set back for a new line. the cam usually turns with the spring drum until'an abrupt'face of the cam is intercepted by the projection z on the feed lever A projection z' on the feed..

which acts as a positivestop ,to hold the cam stationary while the pawl .h allows the drum to continue its backward movement independently of the cam. No additional parts are required to hold the cam from backward movement. 'IVhen the carriage resumes its letter space movements the pawl h causes the cam to turn with-the drum,and the projection 2' *will then be at the foot of one of the inclined faces. Manifestly the motion of the feed lever actuated as described could be transmitted to the ribbon spools by j 'ratchet and pawl or clutch devices of different construction from thosev described.

The. feed-reversing mechanismv whereby one feed pawl is held out lof action while the Y other is permitted to' turn the companion ratchetwheel and connected ribbon spoo1, is substantially the same asthat disclosed in my said prior application, and is briefly described as'follows: K K,Fi,g. Q, represent twooppositely-arranged `reversing levers fulcruined on pivots 7c depending from the top plate a, and having curved ends located above the ratchet wheelsv in position to engage upright projections on the feed vpawls and holding dogs. The two reversing levers are connected by a. horizontal bar L" .located under the front portion of the top plate a. L', Figs. 2 and Ll, represents a reversing cam journaled on the bearing for the. left 'hand spool shaft above the reversing lever K, and having a periphery with alternate notched peaks and depressions. rstud Z fixed to the underlying reversing lever. K is pressed'yieldingly against the edge of the cam by a spring Z' which is attached to the connecting bar 7c and to the top plate and tends to move said bar to the left and the curved ends ofthe reversing levers to the right. M, Fig. 2. represents a ratchet `wheel secured to the hub of the reversing -hand feed pawl andl holdingl dog out 4of action while permitting the right-hand feed pan-l and holding dog to 'ei'igage the righthand ratchet wheel. 'With this position of the parts the rightlhand spool is driven to wind the ribbon thereon from the other spool.- By shoving the push rod N rearwardly the reversing cam is turned so that the stud Z slides from thepeak into the next ldepression of the cam, which ,allows the curved ends of the reversing levers to sentite be swung to the right by the spring l',

'thereby throwing the right-hand feed pawl f the push rod Nrearwardly as morefully Y explained in my said application. Any' other suitable reversing mechanism can be used with the driving mechanism.

The ribbon driving and reversing. mech anism is almost wholly mounted on the top plate, so that the parts vcan bereadily assembled, and most of the parts are arranged horizontally close vbeneath the top plate so .that they occupy but little room and are almost entirely out of sight,

In tabulating, particularly Vwhen lthe cark riage lis allowed to4 move long distances between stops, the ribbon is caused to feed quickly as far as it ordinarily feeds in the run the spools and give trouble by the slacle ness of the exposed part of the ribbon. The

.travelL of the carriage for half of a line or more, and this quick and prolonged movement of the ribbon often causes it to over-v following means-are .provided to overcome 'this fault: O,A Fig. l, represents one of a series of tabulating stops on the carriage, and P a coperatingpivoted stop which is adapted to be moved to intercept the stop O to arrest the carriage. The pivoted stop P is connected by an arm p and link p2 to a .lever Q which is connected by a link g to l.an operating key lever g. 'A complete description of the construction and operation A"of the tabulating mechanism will b e found 'in my prior application. Serial No. 375,781,

tiled May 27, 1907. Fig. l, represents an upright arm'on the tabulator leve-r Q which engages 'the outer end of a lever S pivoted centrally on the top plate and having a 'part s at its inner end which depends in front'of the adjacent port-ion of the ribbon feed lever F. Then the lever Q is rocked to operate the tabulating mechanism, the. arm R swings the outer end of the lever S forwardly-and causes the part s thereof to swing the feed lever F and holdl its projeetion z' out of engagementl with the feed cam H. This action feeds the .ribbon as far as it 'would have been fed by the cam face whiehwas in contact with the lever projections' and prevents any further feed of the ribbon until the carriage'has been arrested and the feed lever F released and permitted to resume its usual action. described connections insure always a comparatively short feed of the ribbon regard:` less of .the distance which the carriage is allpwed t'oftravel. This feature of the invention is not limited to the described construction of the Vconnect-ions 'between the feed device and the 'tabulating mechanism,

The y and-the connections can `also be cha-need to adapt them to tabulating means of vdierent construction.

I claim as my invention: l. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a driven rotary cam, a centrally pivoted lever actuated by the cam, a pair of ribbon spools, and connections between the lever atopposite sides of the lever pivot and the spools for transmitting motion from the lever to either one of the spools, substantially as set forth. Q.. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a driven rotary cam, a centrally pivoted. lever which is actuated by the cam, means which hold the lever in contact with the cam, a pair of ribbon spools, and connections between the lever at opposite sides of the lever pivot and the spools for transmitting motion from the lever to either one of' the spools, substantially as set forth.

3. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a lever pivoted centrally to swing horizontally, means for oscillating the lever, I

a pair of ribbon spools, and-rcleasable clutch lconnections between the lever at opposite sides of the lever p'ivot and the spools for driving either 4of the spools, substantially as set orth.

5. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a driven feed lever, apair of ribbon spools, and connections between the lever and the spools which normally rotate one of the spools and which include yielding parts which permit the lever to move without rotating' said spool when the ribbonis subjected to abnormal strain, substantially as set forth. v

6. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a lever, means for actuating the lever, a pair of ribbon spools, links, springs connecting said links to said lever, and connections between said linlzs and said spools for driving either of said. spools, substantiallyv as 'set forth.

cam, a pair sifl'ribbonspools arranged'at the upper front pertion of the machine to turn about vertical axes, and connections which .entend substantially horizont-ally forward from said lever tosaid spools for transmitting motion from the lever to either one of the spools, substantially as set forth.

8. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a driven rotary cani having a gradually: sloping face and an abrupt face, a lever which is moved in one direction by said sloping face of the cani, a ribbon spool, drive connections between said. lever and said spool, and means Which hold a part of the leveragainst the cam and retract said connections when the sloping face of the cam clears said part of the lever, substantially as set forth.

9. In a typeivriting machine, the combination of a driven rotary cam having a cam` face With an abrupt terminal, a ribbon spool, drive connections for the spool having a part which is moved in one direction by said cam face for turning the spool, and means Which retract said connecting means when the abrupt terminal of the cam passes said part moved by the cam, substantially as set forth.

10. In a typevvriting machine, the combination of a driven cani having a succession of ,cani faces With-abrupt terminals, a ribbon spool, drive connections for the spool having a pait which is moved intermittently in one direction by said cam faces, and means Which h- Xi said part against said Cain faces and retract said connections When each cam face passes said contacting part, substantially as set forth.

11. In a typevvrit-ing machine, the combination of a driven cani having acircular series of cam faces with abrupt terminals, a ribbon spool,l drive connections for the spool having a part which is moved intermittently in o-ne direction by said cam faces, and means which hold said part against said cam faces and retract said connections when each cani face passes said contacting part, substantially as set forth. l

12. In a typewriting machine, thecombination of a carriage driving motor, a rotary cam driven by said motor and having a cam face With an abrupt terminal, a ribbon spool, drive 'connections for the spool having a part which 'is moved in one direction by said cam face for turning the spool, and means which retract said connecting means when theabrupt terminal of the cam passes said partA moved by the cam, substantially as set'forth.

13. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a carriage driving motor, a rotary cani having a series of cam faces'driven by said motor, a pair of ribbon spools, a centrally pivoted. lever bearing against the cam and actuated thereby, means for pressing said lever against the cam, and connections between said. lever and the spools Vfor rotating one ofthe spools, substantially as set forth. 14. In a typeivritin'g machine, the combination of a carriage driving motor, a pair of ribbon spools, a liorizoiitallyeswinging centrally pivoted lever, means driven by said motor for actuating the lever, and drive connections between the lever and the spools, substantially as set forth.

In a typeivi'iting machine, the combination of a carriage driving motor, a pair of ribbon spools, driving clutches for the spools, a horizontally-swinging centrally pivoted lever vibrated by the motor, and connections extending substantially horizontally from each end of the said lever to one ofthe spool-driving.clutches, substantially as set forth. v

16. In a typevvriting machine, the combination of a carriage driving motor, a pair of ribbon spools,` driving clutches for the spools, a liorizon'tally-swinging centrally pivoted` lever vibrated yby the motor, a connection eX- tending substantially horizontally from each end of said lever to one' of the driving clutches, and means for placing either clutch.

out of action andv the other clutch in action, substantially as set forth. Y i,

17. In a typevvriting machine, the combi-f` nation of a carriage driving motor, a pair of ribbon spools, a driving clutch for each spool, a horizontallysivinging centrally pivoted lever vibrated by the motor, connections between the said lever and clutches for rotating the spools in opposite directions, and means for placing either clutch out of 4action and the other clutch in action, substantially as set forth. 4

18. In a typewriting machine, the combif nation of a carriage driving motor, a pair of ribbon spools, a centrally pivotedlever operated by the motor, a clutch for each .of the spools, and a .link connecting each clutch to one end of said lever, the lever, links,'clutches and spools all being arranged to move in-sub- 'stantially horizontal planes, substantially as set forth. y

19. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a 'centrally pivoted lever, means for vibrating the lever, a pair of ribbon spools, operating clutches for the spools, links connected to said clutches, slip connece tions 'between saidl linksand the opposite ends of said leversprings connecting said links and lever by Whichfthe lever moves each link in one direction, and means for holding one clutch out of actionvvhile the other clutch is in action, substantially as set. forth. 20. In a typevvriting machine, the c'oinbination of acentrally pivoted lever,.meaiisl for .vibrating the same, a pair of ribbonA spools, driving clutches forthespools, and connections between .opposite ends of said lever and said' clutches, said lever,"connec tions, clutches and spools all being arranged' to movein substantially horizontal planes, substantially as set fort forth.

21. Ina typewriting machine, the combination 'of a carriage driving motor, a ribbon jspool, a cam-having.: an abrupt end, `a con- -tion of the cam, and drive connections from the lever ,to the spool, substantially' as set v22. In a typewriting machine, the combination ofribbon feed mechanism, tabulating mechanism, and means actuated by the tabulating'mechanism for feeding the ribbon a short distance and preventing the normal action of the ribbon feed` mechanism when the tabulating mechanismv is used, substantially as set forth. n

23, In a typewritm'machme, the combination yof a carriage rivln'g motor, ribbon feed mechanism normally driven by ,said

motor, tabulating 4mechanism, and means actuated by said tabulating mechanism for feeding the ribbon a short distance and reventing the feed of the ribbon by said feed mechanism When the tabulating mechanism is used, substantially as set forth.-

24. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a carriage, a ribbon, feed mechanism for saidribbon, a tabulator stop for said carriage, and means operating When said tabnlator stop is actuated for feeding the ribbon a short distance and preventing the normal action of said feed mechanism, substantially as set forth.

Witness my hand, -this 24th day of July,

` OSCAR C. KAVLE. Witnesses.:

FRANK E. REID, CHEsTER W. REID. 

